Regional Anchoring as a Selection Criterion for Compulsory Health Insurance

If consumers do not have access to all relevant information for the purchase decision process and/or if it is necessary to reduce a massive amount of information, consumers base their often simplified buying decision on key data. The paper shows the cognitive and affective importance of regional anchoring as a key information factor in selecting a form of compulsory health insurance (CHI). The perceived regional anchoring of a CHI has a positive influence on the overall image of a CHI and on resulting customer preferences. These influences are further supported by the customer’s ethnocentricity. However, the customer’s attitude towards a region influences neither the image of a CHI nor the preference for a CHI. To influence the customer’s perceived regional anchoring of a CHI positively, the most effective marketing instruments are seminars/workshops on physical exercise options in the region, advertising with typical regional pictures, and offering a regional expert hotline.